Aaron Judge returns to the Yankees’ lineup tonight

Yankees fans, our long national nightmare is over.

Later tonight, Aaron Judge will return to the lineup. He will bat second and play right field. This will mark the first time he’s stepped into a major league batter’s box since suffering a fractured wrist on July 26th. That’s 54 days without Judge, or about 54 too many.

Judge’s return comes at a critical point for the Yankees. The offense has been sleepwalking for most of the second half. Hopefully he can provide the spark to get the team rolling down the stretch and into the postseason. The fact that he will bat against the Red Sox, no less, makes this all the more exciting.

The 26-year-old hit .285/.398/.548 with 26 home runs before landing on the disabled list. His 156 wRC+ is a touch behind his stellar 2017 campaign, but still ranks among the game’s elite batters. Even if he’s rusty, he still represents an enormous upgrade.

It took longer than expected, but he’s back. Who’s ready for Judge to step to the plate?